Millan

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

This is the greatest and most potent Dukedome of all Europe, which heretofore the Insubrians inhabited betweene the Rivers Abdua and Ticinus. The chiefe Citties in it are Millan, Lauda, Ticinum, which is now called Papia, and Novarra. The soyle is every where fruitfull, pleasant, and watered with many Streames and Rivers: the chiefe Citty hereof is Millan built by the Frenchmen, for when Tarqumius Pristus raigned at Rome, King Bellonesus having passed over the Alpes with a great band of Frenchmen, and having expulsed the Hetruscians, he built a Citty in that place, which Leander saith was called Subria, and he called this Citty Mediolanum, or as some are perswaded Meydlandum, as it were the Virgin Land, perhaps from Minervas Temple, who was worshipped in this place, which is now consecrate to S. Tecla, whence Alciat thus.

Quam Mediolanum sacram dixere puellaeTerram: nam vetus hoc gallica lingua sonat.Culta Minerva fuit, nunc est ubi numine TeclaMutato, Matris Virginis ante domum. Mediolanum the Virgin Land they name,For in the French it signifies the same,'Twas sacred to Minerva, now they adoreTecla, and the Virgin Mother heretofore.

Some thinke it was so denominated from a Sow that was halfe cover'd with wooll, which Alciat seemes to glance at thus in his Emblemes, when he saith.

Laniger huic signum, Sus est, animalque biformeAcribus hinc setis, lanitio inde Levi. Their armes a Sow, a creature most uncouth,Th'one side bristled, 'tother woolly smooth.

So also Claudian in the marriage of Honorius and Maria.

— ad maenia Gallis.Condita lanigerae suis ostendentia pellem. The wall built by the French, which yet doe showThe skin and shape of their wooll-bearing Sow.

This Country was reduced to the form of a Province, and was subject to the Romanes, as Polybius and Livie report. And many Emperours taking delight in the conveniency of the place, did make the Citty of Millan their seate of residence, and adorned it with many publike Aedifices and Buildings; whence Ausonius.

Mediolani mira omnia, copia rerum,Innumerae cultaeque domus; tum duplice muroAmplificata loci species, populique voluptasCircus, & inclusimoles cuneata Theatri:Templa, Palatinaeque arces. All things at Millan are most wonderfull,There's plenty, and the houses beautifull.A double wall the Citty doth augment,The People in the Cirque take much content,And in the Theaters they doe delight,There are Temples, and faire Palaces most bright.

But when the Emperour decayed, it was oftentimes vexed by the Huns, Gothes, and Langbards. It was taken and destroyed by Fred. Barbarossa. It was a long time governed by Vicounts, Iohn Galcatius was first created Duke by the Emperour Wenceslaus, and from thence it descended to the Aurelians and Sfortians, and at length Charles the fifth did bring it into his owne Family. In this Citty there is the royall Castle of Porta Iovia, the strongest in all Europe. It is full of Artificers, especially Smiths, who forge out of Iron, Swords, Brest-plates, Bucklers, and other Military instruments. Hence ariseth that saying, Qui Italiam armis instruere totam velit, eum destruere Mediolanum oportere; That is, Hee that would furnish all Italie with armes, must destroy Millan. But I conclude with this eloquent Elogie of a Divine Writer.

This Land a people did first entertaine,From whom this Kingdome at the first began.The French, Italians both all'yd did grow,And gave new lawes unto the ancient Po.Then Germany joyned in so great affaires,And Fame her golden Trumpet now prepares,Let one poore honour some poore Towne advance,While threefold honour doth unto me chance.